Walking the Platinum Path
by Loketoki
Summary: To be a star, you must shine your own light, follow your own path, and don't worry about the darkness, for that is when the stars shine brightest. However, Kaiyo doesn't know where her path is, until it is laid in front of her, and she is pushed upon it.
1. Chapter 1

**Hi guys! So I'm back to writing fan stories now. Sorry for disappearing! I know I promised some people a JSRF story, but after I found out about Pokemon HeartGold and SoulSilver coming out, they've pretty much made me obsessed! **

**Anyway, in this story, we will meet my OC, Kaiyo. A 13 year old girl from Twinleaf Town. This story is going to follow the Platinum game, as Kaiyo travels around Sinnoh! So, read on and enjoy!**

**Chapter One ~ Where the Winds of New Beginnings Blow**

**Did you know, you yawn for about 5 seconds?**

**That's what Kaiyo did, while sitting on the floor of her room. Stretching her arms above her head, clear, silver eyes opened to resume staring at the TV. Her black hair was slightly ruffled and reached down her back, mingling with the black hoodie the teen was wearing. Shuffling her legs till they were extended in front of her, Kaiyo sat back, and sighed a bored sigh. **

"_**Pokemon are by our side, always. I hope you will understand the meaning of those words."**_

_**That was the comment left by Prof. Rowan, who has returned to Sinnoh from the Kanto region. **_**The words slowly floating to Kaiyo's ears, causing the black haired girl to sit up, hoping the programme was nearing its end.**

_**That concludes our special programme, "Let's ask Prof. Rowan!"**_

**Kaiyo smiled, happy to be free of the show her friend had 'recommended'. Getting to her feet, she heard the words '**_**Brought to you by Jubilife TV on Nationwide Net!' **_**as she dusted herself off. Turning around to face the rest of her room, the black haired girl busied herself by picking up her trainers, shoving them over her sock covered feet. Gentle sunlight flowed through the open window, three window charms catching the beams. The room was quickly filled with shattered blue light, which danced around the room. Pausing for a moment to just sit on her black bed and think, Kaiyo closed her silver eyes and breathed in the cold fresh air that had flown in. If she listened carefully, she could hear the Starly call to each other. It was complete bliss.**

**Until the tranquillity was shattered by a shout.**

"**There you are!"**

**Needless to say, Kaiyo jumped out of her skin. She was about to glare annoyingly at the culprit, until she recognised who it was.**

**Standing at her bedroom door, with a huge smile plastered on his face, hands on hips with a look of triumph, was Kaiyo's best friend and huge bother.**

**The one and only, Kamin.**

**Impatiently brushing a lock of blonde hair from his face, Kamin looked at the TV, which was currently showing some advert for Snowpoint City, the grin widening.**

"**I knew you'd watch it! I told you to watch that programme, and you did!" Kamin exclaimed, almost jumping about in happiness. Kaiyo smirked at her friend, getting to her feet and walking over to the TV, turning it off. **

"**Yes, I did watch it. Now I've lost one hour of my life which could have been spent doing something not boring." The black haired girl raised an eyebrow towards the blonde, who only shrugged.**

"**Whatever, Kai. Anyway, you know that show said Prof. Rowan is a Pokemon Researcher?" Kaiyo nodded, wondering where this was going. "Well, he's bound to have lots of Pokemon with him!"**

"**Well, duh! He wouldn't be very good if he didn't have any Pokemon." Kaiyo said, becoming slightly worried at where this conversation was headed.**

"**So, I was thinking, if we ask the Professor, he'll definitely give us some Pokemon!" Kamin finished, waiting as if for praise of his idea.**

**Kaiyo, however, had to do a double take of what her friend said. Almost choking in shock, silver eyes widened as she took a step back.**

"… **You're kidding… Right? Kamin, you can't be serious! What makes you think Prof. Rowan would give **_**us**_** Pokemon?" Kaiyo asked, trying to show her friend sense.**

"**Don't worry! When we show Prof. Rowan how dedicated and cool we are, he'd have no choice!" Kamin's eyes briefly wondered from Kaiyo's silver orbs to look just behind her shoulder. Suddenly, something had grabbed his attention. Quickly running to Kaiyo's PC, the blonde's face became excited again, examining the electronic device as several angles.**

"**Is this new?!" He asked, as Kaiyo sighed, her head in her hands, though a grin could be seen. When Kamin finished his inspection, he stood still for a few seconds, trying to remember what happened before he got distracted. Kaiyo walked up to her friend.**

"**Prof. Rowan." She jolted the blonde's memory. Kamin jumped up as he remembered, then quickly ran towards the door. Just before he left, he turned to look at the black haired girl.**

"**And Kaiyo, if you're late, I'm fining you $****1, 000, 000!" He shouted, bolting down the stairs like a hurricane. Smiling, the 13 year old pulled the hem of her hoodie down and quickly ruffled her hair before slowly following Kamin, closing the door.**

**As she reached the bottom of the stairs, a woman poked her head around the kitchen door, smiling at her daughter. Wiping her hands on the towel she was holding, Kaiyo's mother walked over to the teen.**

"**Hi there dear. Kamin seemed to be in a hurry, didn't he?" The only thing Kaiyo could do was nod, shoving her hands in her pockets. "Well, off you go. Be careful and stay out of tall grass!" She reminded her daughter, who had already opened the front door. **

"**Ok mum, I will." Kaiyo said, as she did every time she left the house. It was always the same thing with her mother. The black haired girl knew parents were protective of their children, but Kaiyo's mum was too caring of her safety. She could get very paranoid whenever the teen left the house without telling her. Kaiyo remembered one time when both she and Kamin had gone to Lake Verity without telling their parents. It was only for 15 minutes, but during that time, Kaiyo's mother had phoned the police and organised a search party big enough to explore Mt Coronet. No joke.**

**Closing the front door, Kaiyo breathed in the fresh, cold air as she began to walk to Kamin's house. She looked at the snow scattered around the small place called Twinleaf Town, her home. She spotted three kids chasing each other, pretending to be different Pokemon. Grinning, Kaiyo reached her friend's house and proceeded to open the door.**

**Until it was pulled away from her grasp.**

**Instead of seeing Kamin's hallway, Kaiyo saw Kamin.**

**Who ran into her.**

**Both fell to the floor, the blonde haired boy on top of the black haired girl. Kamin looked down at Kaiyo, who was too busy clutching her head in annoyance to realise the situation they were in. Kamin felt himself blush slightly as he stood up, offering Kaiyo a hand up, which she accepted.**

"**Heh, sorry Kai!" He said, rubbing the back of his head in embarrassment.**

"**It's cool, I'm used to it." The teen said simply, oblivious to Kamin's blush. Clearing his throat, the blonde remembered why he was rushing. Grabbing his friend's wrist, he began dragging her to the exit of the town.**

"**Anyway, come on! We've got to get to Prof. Rowan's lab to get some Pokemon!" Making their way out of Twinleaf Town at a rather fast pace, Kaiyo's mind began to wonder.**

_**If Prof. Rowan gives us a Pokemon, what sort will it be? There are so many different types of Pokemon, how will I be able to pick one? But, what if he doesn't give us one? **_**Kaiyo looked over at Kamin, who was happily humming to himself, a smile stretched on his face. **_**Kamin's gonna be heartbroken if he can't get a Pokemon… I can't bear to see that. Ok, no matter what, I'll make sure he gets a Pokemon, even if I don't! **_**Kaiyo declared in her head, her willpower showing its strength. Kamin, however, had stopped his humming to look at his friend.**

"**Hey, Kaiyo? I was just thinking… If Prof. Rowan doesn't want to give us a Pokemon, I'll at least make sure you get one, ok?" Grinning, Kamin continued dragged Kaiyo, who was slightly shocked at what her friend said.**

_**So, we're both going to make sure the other gets a Pokemon… **_**The black haired girl chuckled as they left Twinleaf Town, reaching Route 201. The duo looked ahead, before stopping, unable to believe their luck.**

**Just in front, as far as the eye could see, which was only until a tree blocked their view, there was tall grass.**

_**Everywhere.**_

**Silver eyes turned to face orange eyes. Kamin looked back at the grass, trying to form some sort of plan. Kaiyo turned around, looking for another way to get to Sandgem Town.**

"**Damn… Sorry, Kamin, but this looks like the only way." Kaiyo said, pointing to a sign that showed the direction of the town. Her friend, however, hadn't moved. Walking back, the black haired girl looked at the blonde, slight worry filling her body. "… Kamin?"**

**Very slowly, which was rare for her friend, Kamin turned his head towards Kaiyo, a grin creeping on his face. The black haired girl's worry quickly turned to panic, as she recognised that look. **

"**Oh God, Kamin… Don't say it." She almost pleaded.**

"**Kaiyo… I've got a plan." With visible glee, Kamin turned away from the tall grass, taking several large steps back, until he reached the sign. Rotating back, he grinned at Kaiyo, whose heart had taken a heavy fall as soon as her friend spoke.**

"**Kamin… You remember when we had that talk… About you not getting ideas because you'll hurt yourself?" The black haired girl urgently reminded the blonde, who shrugged.**

"**But this is brilliant, because we won't get hurt! Look Kaiyo, our mission is to get to Sandgem Town, right? And the only way to reach our destination is to get through the grass! So, if we run through each patch of grass quickly, there won't be a chance for any Pokemon to jump out at us, so we'll be safe!" Kamin revealed his plan and prepared to run. Kaiyo sighed heavily, not feeling confident about this.**

_**I guess if we get into trouble, we could just run. We're both fast, so it shouldn't be a problem. **_**The black haired girl thought before approaching her friend next to the sign. Lining up, the duo looked like they were ready to race, one foot in front of the other.**

"**Ok! Ready?" Kamin asked loudly, his voice holding a sense of competition.**

"**As I'll ever be!" Kaiyo answered back grinning, all worry gone.**

"**In that case, three…" Both leant forward.**

"**Two…" They raised their arms, hands clenched.**

"**One!" The teens snapped into action, both running full speed, head first towards the tall, threatening, dangerous grass.**

**All it would have taken was one more step, one more second, and the two would have entered danger unprepared. One can only begin to imagine what would have happened if those reckless 13 year olds had encountered a Pokemon.**

**Luckily, that wasn't the case.**

"**Stop right there!"**

**The duo stopped in their tracks, their trainers squealing to a halt just before they entered the grass. Kamin, who had been going a little bit faster than Kaiyo, almost fell over from the sudden stop, if it hadn't been for the black haired girl, who had grabbed his arm. She had turned around to find the source of the shout in time to miss the blonde's very light blush. Shaking it off, Kamin cleared his throat and turned to see what his friend was looking at.**

**Standing next to the sign was a red faced, angry, old man. Wearing a long, brown coat that covered a blue and white suit, the man's presence seemed very professional. He made his way rather quickly towards the teens before standing right in front of them. Any chance of escape would now be futile.**

"**What is the meaning of this?!" The old man shouted, causing Kaiyo to take a step back, slightly shocked by the man's volume. "You two were planning on entering the tall grass, correct?" He stared at the two, who at this point were too petrified to move from where they were standing. "Neither of you have Pokemon! Do you know what could have happened if a Pokemon had attacked you?" The old man took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down. Both Kaiyo and Kamin were looking at the floor, embarrassed and slightly ashamed at what they were about to do.**

"… **Hey, Kai?" The black haired girl's silver eyes flickered towards Kamin's orange ones. She saw that her friend was no longer smiling, but he had turned his head upwards, looking at the old man. "This guy, he's Prof. Rowan, right?" Kaiyo looked up and took in the details of the old man, who remained oblivious to the teens talk. She desperately tried to remember the TV programme she had watched only a few minutes ago. All of a sudden, it hit her right in the face. Eyes widening, Kaiyo turned to Kamin, who nodded and stepped forward.**

"**Excuse me, old man. You're Prof. Rowan, aren't ya?" Prof. Rowan's eyebrow twitched in annoyance at being called 'old man', but he nodded, somewhat pleased that the teens knew who he was. Kamin clenched his fists and squeezed his eyes shut as he almost shouted.**

"**P… please give us some Pokemon!"**

**Prof. Rowan's eyes widened as Kaiyo stared at her friend, silver eyes also wide. She hadn't expected that to come from her friend. She thought he would apologise, try to make the Prof. less angry, maybe crack a joke or two. Certainly not that!**

"**Give you Pokemon? After what I've just seen? I think not!" Prof. Rowan scoffed, his eyes returning to their previous scowl. Kaiyo bit back a gasp as she looked at her friend. Kamin's eyes were still shut and his fists were clenched so hard they were shaking. Stepping up next to the blonde, the black haired girl gently placed her hand on his shoulder, before turning to the Professor.**

"**Please sir. We were on our way to Sandgem Town to see you. We didn't mean to cause any alarm or trouble." Kaiyo explained, clenching her free hand into a fist in a similar fashion to Kamin.**

"**And what if you encountered a wild Pokemon? That would have caused a lot more than trouble. What would your parents think if you'd gotten hurt?" Prof. Rowan asked his eyes boring into Kaiyo's silver orbs. The teen was about to answer back, until Kamin stopped her.**

"**Don't, Kai." His voice was low and with a hint of sadness. Opening his orange eyes, Kamin looked up at the Professor. "Ok, fine. Don't give me a Pokemon. But, give my friend one." Once again, Kaiyo's eyes widened. Prof. Rowan turned his head to properly face the blonde. "It was my idea to run through the grass. She didn't do anything wrong. Please." Kamin pleaded. The black haired girl remembered what her friend had said to her only a few minutes ago.**

"_**Hey, Kaiyo? I was just thinking… If Prof. Rowan doesn't want to give us a Pokemon, I'll at least make sure you get one, ok?"**_

**The teen's grip on her friend's shoulder tightened. She could almost feel tears well up inside her as she turned to the Professor. He was looking at Kamin, the cogs in his brain turning.**

"… **No." With that simple word left in the air, Prof. Rowan turned around and began walking away. Both Kaiyo and Kamin remained where they were, shocked at what the old man had said. Gritting his teeth, the blonde ran after the Professor, leaving Kaiyo standing, her arm extended, reaching for her friend.**

"**What do you mean 'No'?! Why won't you give my friend a Pokemon? I told you, she did nothing wrong!" Kamin shouted, standing in front of the Professor.**

"**She is just as guilty of the same thing as you are. She could have stopped you from entering the grass, but she didn't. She was just as willing to run through and put both your lives on the line. What makes you think I'd give a Pokemon to people like that?" Kamin was speechless, unable to think of something. Seeing this, Prof. Rowan walked around the blonde and continued his journey, leaving the teens. Kaiyo slowly walked over to her friend, who was visibly shaking, whether that be from anger or sadness.**

"**I'm sorry, Kai. I couldn't get you a Pokemon…" He muttered, staring at the ground.**

"**It's ok. I don't care anyway. Just wait, we'll get a Pokemon one day and become the greatest Trainers in the World, just like you dreamed." Kaiyo spoke softly, smiling at the nod that came from Kamin.**

"**Yeah… You're right; it's just a matter of time." He looked up, smiling as well. Orange and silver eyes looked up at the darkening sky. Streaks of pink clouds were floating gently on the horizon, bird Pokemon blocking the Sun.**

"**We'd better get back. Your mum will start freaking out if you're not home after sundown." Kamin grinned as the duo began the long walk back. About half way, the blonde challenged the black haired girl to a race to see who could get home faster. Yet, despite the laughter that emitted from the two, the heavy feeling of sadness and disappointment was still present inside. No matter what they did, it refused to go away.**


	2. Chapter 2

Walking the Platinum__Path

Chapter Two ~ One with no Emotion

"Kaiyo! Where are you?!" A shrill voice that could be heard on the other side of Twinleaf Town thundered through the streets, deafening all nearby.

"Jeez, mum! You don't have to shout so loud!" Kaiyo's answer flowed to the worried sick mother. The teen was slightly out of breath from running, but aside from loss of hearing, she was perfectly fine.

Until she was tackled into a bone-crunching hug.

"There you are! I've been panicking terribly! Where have you been?! Why didn't you tell me you were going to be out so late?!" Kaiyo's mother cried, squashing the black haired girl.

"I didn't know! Mum, I can't breathe! Let go!" Kaiyo pushed her mother off, regaining oxygen. Her mum smiled and dusted herself down; happy to see her daughter hadn't come to any harm.

"As long as you're safe. Now, come on! I've got dinner in the oven!" Kaiyo's mother exclaimed, before merrily skipping inside the house. The teen, however, remained where she was. Looking up at her house, she let out a deep sigh, slowly trudging inside.

_It looks like neither of us got Pokemon today…_ She thought glumly, shutting the front door and sitting at the table. Sighing heavily, Kaiyo let her head fall into her hands.

"Why the long face, dear?" Kaiyo's mother asked, handing her daughter a plate of noodles. The teen looked up, before grabbing a fork and poking her food, trying to come up with an answer.

"I dunno… Everything just isn't working…" Kaiyo muttered, her silver eyes looking at her food. Even though she couldn't see it, the black haired girl knew her mother was smiling gently, trying to reassure her daughter.

"Don't worry, Kaiyo. Everything will turn out well in the end. Just wait and see." Kaiyo only nodded, twirling her noodles with the utensil.

"… Don't play with your food."

"… Yes mum."

***

The Sun had set, leaving the darkness of the night to cover the sky as Kaiyo lay on her bed, staring up at her ceiling. Her hands behind her head, the teen had retreated to her room as soon as dinner was finished, but the only thing she had done was lie on her bed. Glancing at her clock, the black haired girl registered the time.

9:45pm

Sitting up, Kaiyo rubbed her eyes, trying to induce sleep to take over. However, after a few minutes, the black haired girl felt more awake than before. Groaning quietly, she swung her legs off the bed, standing up. Pacing the room a few times, the teen couldn't help but think about the incident that had happened earlier.

_Man… Prof. Rowan was really strict with us… _Kaiyo's hands clenched when she thought about Kamin's heartbroken feelings. Anger filled her body as she resisted the urge to kick her bin, so she wouldn't wake up her mother. _Poor Kamin. He really wanted to get a Pokemon… _

The teen's thoughts were cut short when a quiet tap sound came from her window. Freezing, Kaiyo listened silently, waiting to hear the noise again. A few seconds past, before a second tap sound was heard. Almost running to her window, the teen pulled the curtains apart and peered through the glass. Outside, staring at Kaiyo's window with one arm back, as if he was going to throw something again, stood Kamin, his blonde hair making him easily identified. Pulling the window open, the black haired girl poked her head through, looking down at her friend.

"What're you doing?" Kaiyo asked in a loud whisper, slightly paranoid in case her mother suddenly burst into her room at any second if she made a sound.

"What does it look like I'm doing?" He said, dropping the small pebbles. "Well? Are you coming or not?" He asked, dusting down his hands. Kaiyo rolled her eyes and grabbed her jacket. Closing her window, she silently crept down the stairs and slipped through the front door, quickly running to where Kamin stood, waiting. Together, they silently walked through the streets of Twinleaf Town, neither speaking, for there was no need. Eventually, the two reached Lake Verity. The water was gentle, carefully reflecting every star shining its light. Despite it being night, the lake was well lit, probably due to the Moon, which was almost full. Volbeat and Illumise danced around the surface of the Lake, showering the area in their light. The whole place looked beautiful and romantic.

Kaiyo and Kamin stopped walking at the edge of the Lake, sitting down on the slightly cold ground. Neither spoke as they looked at the sparkling water. A few minutes passed before the blonde looked at the black haired girl.

"Hey, Kamin?" Kaiyo's voice broke the silence, causing the blonde to jump slightly. The black haired girl kept her eyes fixed at the Lake, so she didn't notice Kamin's staring. "I… I'm sorry you didn't get a Pokemon today." She muttered, her face emotionless. Kamin blinked in surprise at his friend's words. She turned to look at him and smiled weakly. "I know how much you wanted one."

"Heh… It doesn't matter, Kaiyo." The blonde replied, stretching his arms above his head. "It's like I said earlier, it's only a matter of time…"

"But it does matter, Kamin." Kaiyo interrupted, turning back to look at the Lake. "You tried to get Prof. Rowan to give me a Pokemon, but I did nothing." Without realising, Kaiyo clenched her hands into fists, something Kamin noticed instantly. "I'm sorry." She muttered, her silver eyes looking down. The blonde stared at his friend, before shuffling closer. He wrapped his arm around the black haired girl, embracing her in a one-armed hug.

"You don't have anything to apologise for, Kaiyo." Kamin said gently, blushing slightly at their closeness. The black haired teen, however, didn't notice, resting her head on his shoulder, further increasing the blush. "W… we'll get a Pokemon soon…" He stuttered, his orange eyes looking at the Lake.

Kaiyo sighed deeply, looking up at the sky. The Moon was still high in the sky, bathing everything in its silver light.

_Snap!_

The black haired girl's head shot up, almost hitting Kamin's chin in the process. Looking around for the sound, Kaiyo turned to the blonde, who had released his grip on the girl.

"Did you hear that?" She whispered, her silver eyes still looking around. Both stood up, scanning the area for the cause of the sound. After a few minutes, the two couldn't see anything. The blonde turned to the black haired girl, hands on hips.

"There's nothing here now, Kaiyo. You just probably imagined-"

That was all Kamin could say before all Hell broke loose.

A strong flame suddenly came out of nowhere, headed directly for Kamin. If it wasn't for his quick reflexes, the blonde would have been toast.

"Wah!" He shouted, falling to the ground. Kaiyo took several steps back, trying to avoid the fire. When the attack ended, she ran over to her friend, who was busy groaning slightly in pain from falling over. Pulling him up, the duo looked towards some trees where the attack had come from. Emerging from his hiding place stood a small, but powerful dog-like Pokemon. It growled angrily, seeing its prey still alive.

"W… what's that?" Kaiyo asked Kamin, who seemed to have taken a defensive stance in front of Kaiyo, determined to protect her. She completely ignored it, standing next to him.

"I… I have no idea." Kamin answered, an embarrassed grin on his face. Kaiyo sighed, before gently grabbing a hold of his wrist. Keeping her eyes on the Pokemon, she began to slowly pull Kamin away, trying to carefully make their escape. The Pokemon noticed and howled loudly, before sprinting towards the duo. Both panicked, ducking out of the way of the Bite attack just in time. However, the Pokemon was fast, turning around and tackling Kamin in the stomach.

"Kamin!" Kaiyo shouted, running over to her injured friend. Looking around for something to protect them with, the black haired girl grabbed a large stick. The Pokemon snarled, leaping at Kaiyo. The teen yelled in surprise, watching as the Pokemon bit deep into the stick.

"Kaiyo! Be careful!" Kamin shouted, desperately trying to get to his feet to help, the Tackle taking more out of him than he thought. The black haired girl continued pushing the Pokemon away with the stick, its fangs still deep inside. The bark began to snap due to the power of the Bite attack. Both teens knew it wouldn't be long before it destroyed the stick completely and attacked them. Kaiyo closed her eyes, waiting for the pain to come.

"Quickly, Chimchar! Use Scratch!"

A voice appeared out of nowhere and before Kaiyo knew it, the pressure she felt pushing the Pokemon away was gone. Opening her silver eyes, she saw a monkey scratching the Pokemon with everything it had. Dropping the now useless stick, Kaiyo turned round to Kamin, checking to see if he was alright.

"Kamin! Are you okay?" A worried Kaiyo asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine now. But, Kaiyo! Why'd you do that? You could have gotten hurt!" Kamin exclaimed, gradually getting to his feet. The duo looked over to the two Pokemon. The Chimchar had stopped its attack, now standing a fair distance away.

"That was a close one! You two would have gotten fried!" Kaiyo and Kamin turned their heads towards the voice. Standing nearby with a briefcase in hand was a boy around their age. Wearing a red beret with a Pokeball symbol on the side, he ran towards the two. "Are you okay? That Houndour is really strong. Who knows what it's doing here." He said, turning his attention to the battle.

"'Houndour'?" Kaiyo muttered, looking at the Pokemon that had attacked them. "Is that what that Pokemon is?" She asked.

"Yeah. They don't live in this area though." The boy explained, before looking at the Chimchar. "Okay, Chimchar! Use Leer!" The fire Pokemon glared at the Houndour, slightly lowering its defence.

"Is that Chimchar yours?!" Kamin exclaimed, pointing at the monkey Pokemon.

"Yep! Prof. Rowan gave him to me." The boy explained, oblivious to Kamin and Kaiyo's reaction of shock and slight annoyance. "By the way, I'm Lucas." The duo introduced themselves, before a shout of cry interrupted them. Turning to the battle, Lucas gasped as Chimchar was tackled into. Flying through the air, it came to a painful landing on the ground. Weakly, it rose to its feet, injuries appearing on its orange body.

"Chimchar! Are you okay?" Lucas shouted, watching as the Pokemon nodded weakly. The boy wasn't satisfied with that answer, as he knelt down, opening the briefcase. Kaiyo and Kamin looked inside the piece of luggage, surprised to see two Pokeballs.

"Pokemon…" Kamin muttered. Lucas nodded, grabbing the red and white capsules. He held the Pokeballs out to the duo.

"Chimchar's going to need some help. Take these Pokemon and help me battle that Houndour!" Kaiyo and Kamin stared at Lucas, before looking down at the Pokeballs.

"You want us to battle?! But we have no idea…" Kamin began.

"There's no time!" Lucas exclaimed, thrusting the Pokeballs into their hands. He turned around and issued another attack from Chimchar. Kaiyo and Kamin looked at each other, before turning to face the capsules in their hands. The blonde grinned, clutching the Pokeball in his hand.

"We've got a Pokemon!" He shouted, thrusting it above his head. Kaiyo watching her friend's outburst of happiness, feeling a grin crawl onto her face.

"Alright Kamin! Let's show that Houndour what we've got!" The teen exclaimed. Both turned around to face the dark type.

"I choose you! Go!" The duo shouted, throwing the red and white capsules through the air. Two bright flashes of light emitted from the balls, forming two figures.

"_Piplup_!"

"_Turtwig_!"

Two small Pokemon emerged from the light, shaking themselves ready for battle. One was a little, blue penguin. It ruffled its feathers, before turning its head to face Kaiyo, giving a quick nod. The other Pokemon stretched its legs, giving a quick yawn. The green turtle only looked at the Houndour, before looking at Kamin, its face holding an 'Are you kidding?' look.

"Whoa… You look like the strongest Pokemon ever!" Kamin shouted, jumping for joy. He grinned at Kaiyo, who was too busy looking at the penguin Pokemon in front of her.

"So, you've got a Piplup, Kaiyo. And you've got a Turtwig, Kamin." Lucas said quickly, his Chimchar joining the two others. Together, they stood strong, staring at the Houndour.

"Okay, let's go! Chimchar, use Scratch!"

"Turtwig, use…"

"Piplup, use…"

The blonde and the black haired girl looked at each other, their minds blank.

"Um… Lucas? What attacks to our Pokemon know?" Kaiyo asked, chuckling slightly. Lucas resisted the urge to facepalm, before turning to the battle.

"Just tell your Pokemon to attack and see what they'll do." He shouted, running after Chimchar, leaving the two teens.

"Um… Ok! Go Piplup! Attack that Houndour!" Kaiyo yelled, waiting to see what the penguin did. It began running towards the fire type Pokemon, pounding it on the back. Houndour fell to the ground, but was up in an instant. Piplup jumped back and Kaiyo grinned. "Great job Piplup! That was Pound, right?" She asked, her grin widening at Piplup's nodding.

"Okay, my turn! Go Turtwig! Show everyone how strong you are!" Turtwig nodded and began charging for the Houndour, tackling it head on. Falling on its feet, the turtle shook its head, before taking another battle stance.

"Awesome! Turtwig knows Tackle!" Kaiyo said, receiving thumbs up from Kamin. However, the Houndour had had enough. Growling angrily, it howled before a huge flame shot from its mouth.

"Look out Turtwig!" Kamin shouted, watching the turtle jump in the air, only just avoiding the dangerous fire. Piplup quickly dodged to the side before looking up at its friend. Chimchar appeared next to the penguin, creating the perfect landing cushion for the falling turtle. The trio got off the ground and stood together again, ready to fight the Houndour.

"Are you guys okay?" Kamin shouted. After receiving a nod from all of the Pokemon, he clenched his hands, standing next to Kaiyo and Lucas. "Alright! Enough playing around! Let's show this Houndour who's the boss!"

"Go Chimchar! Use Scratch!"

"Turtwig! Use Tackle!"

"Okay, Piplup! Use Pound!"

The three Pokemon charged at the Houndour, their attacks hitting their target at the same time. The fire and dark type Pokemon fell to the ground, defeated. A few seconds past, before Kaiyo and Kamin gave a yell of triumph.

"Alright! We did it!"

"We beat that Houndour! Great job!" The two shouted, high fiving each other. Piplup and Turtwig grinned and ran to their trainer, jumping into their arms.

"Well done. For your first battle, you both did excellently." Lucas said, Chimchar sat on his shoulder. Kaiyo held Piplup in her arms grinning at Lucas.

"Thanks Lucas! That means a lot to us." She said, gently stroking the penguins head.

"Yeah!" Kamin exclaimed loudly, jumping between Kaiyo and Lucas. "Thanks a lot for the Pokemon as well!" Turtwig climbed up to Kamin's head, nestling itself in his blonde hair. Lucas grinned at the turtle, before turning back to the Houndour.

"It's strange though… Houndour aren't found in this area. I'd better tell Prof. Rowan about this." Lucas muttered to himself.

"Wait… Prof. Rowan?!" Kamin exclaimed loudly, almost making Turtwig fall off his head. "You know him?"

"Yeah, I'm his assistant." Lucas answered.

Seconds past in silence before Kaiyo spoke.

"Um… By chance, did he mention something happening earlier involving two kids and tall grass?" She asked nervously, rubbing the back of her head.

"Hm… Yeah, he did. How did you know that?" Lucas asked, blinking at surprise at the two teen's panicked expressions.

"Lucas! Where are you? Have you found the briefcase yet?" A voice boomed throughout the whole Lakefront. Kaiyo and Kamin froze, instantly recognising it. Turning to look at each other, they both shared the same expression.

"What are the chances of escape?" The black haired girl whispered.

"Very low, but we can give it a shot!" The blonde muttered back. Nodding, they turned to a confused Lucas. "Well, it's been a pleasure to meet you, Lucas!"

"We need to be going now! Thanks again for the Pokemon!" Kaiyo added, before the two took off in a sprint. They would have gotten far enough, if they hadn't collided with the person they were trying to avoid. Falling to the ground, the two groaned, before looking up, panic gripping their bodies. Prof. Rowan looked down at the two after dusting himself down.

"… Hang on. You're the two pesky kids from earlier!" Prof. Rowan's voice boomed, causing the teens to shake in fear. "What mischief are you up to now?!"

"N… nothing! Nothing at all!" Kamin squeaked, trying to hide behind Kaiyo.

"We learnt our lesson! We weren't doing anything, we swear!" Kaiyo quaked, trying to hide behind Kamin.

"Um, Professor? Might I ask, what's going on? Do you know Kaiyo and Kamin?" Lucas asked, picking up the briefcase.

"Ah, Lucas. Good job finding the briefcase. How are the Pokemon inside?" The Professor asked.

A long silence followed Prof. Rowan's question. Kaiyo and Kamin looked at each other, trying to sneak away. Lucas gulped and began nudging the ground with his foot.

"_Piplup_!"

"_Turtwig_!"

"!!!"

"!!!"

"…!!!"

"Prof, it's not what you think!"

"Yeah! We haven't stolen anything!"

"Calm down old man!"

"Kamin! He didn't mean it, sir! Don't kill us!"

"… _Chimchar_?"

***

Kaiyo, Kamin and Lucas were standing in a line, their Pokemon in front. To the beret wearing boy, they were in familiar surroundings. To the other two, they were treading on enemy grounds, facing death at every corner. Needless to say, they were beyond nervous.

Professor Rowan was pacing up and down, his assistants watching the old man carefully. After the trio had explained their story, Prof. Rowan had told them to follow him to Sandgem Town. Currently, everyone was in his Lab, awaiting their punishment.

"… Lucas. You gave these kids Pokemon, correct?" The Professor asked, turning towards the beret wearing boy. Lucas nodded, his face serious. Prof. Rowan continued pacing again, before coming to a stop in front of Turtwig and Piplup. Looking down at the Pokemon, his wise eyes scanning the turtle and penguin carefully.

"… Sir?" Lucas quietly asked, watching the Professor look up at him. "If it means anything, these two were excellent at battling the Houndour, despite it being their first time." He said, praising the teens. The Professor looked at Lucas, before sighing heavily. Turning to Kaiyo and Kamin, he cleared his throat.

"You two, tell me. Why did you want to come to Sandgem Town earlier?" He asked, carefully watching the teens.

"Well," Kamin muttered, trying to come up with something.

"We wanted to come here, sir. Kamin and I wanted a Pokemon." Kaiyo said, bluntly. The Professor looked at the black haired girl, before looking at the blonde.

"You wanted a Pokemon? You were so eager to get one that you would risk your lives to come here?" Both Kaiyo and Kamin nodded, their fists clenched. Scowling his usual scowl, the Professor turned away from the three, walking to the briefcase that held the Pokeballs. Taking Piplup's and Turtwig's, he turned around. A red beam hit the Pokemon as they returned to the red and white capsules. Walking back to the three teens, he looked down at Kaiyo and Kamin.

"What do you think would happen if I gave Pokemon to such irresponsible people?" He asked. Kaiyo felt a strong sense of sadness fill her body. She looked down at the floor, unable to look at the Professor.

"If you promise me not to do anything reckless like that again…" A circular object was placed firmly in Kaiyo's hand. Her silver eyes flew open as she looked up at Prof. Rowan, a very faint smile on his lips. Staring down at the Pokeball in her hand, the black haired girl had barely registered what happened before she was tackled into a jumping hug by Kamin, who was grinning ear to ear, shouting in absolute joy.

"I can't believe it! We've got a Pokemon! We've got a Pokemon!" He repeatedly yelled, as Kaiyo laughed, still dumbfounded.

"Yes! Well, I want you to take very good care of them. They are your partners now, and together you will go on many adventures." Prof. Rowan spoke, looked down at the two ecstatic teens. They looked up, nodding. Kaiyo clenched the Pokeball tightly in her hand, a strong sense of independence filling up inside her.

***

Kaiyo and Kamin couldn't stop talking about what had just taken place as they made the long journey back home. They joked about each other's embarrassing moments, and expressed their sheer happiness to have a Pokemon sitting on their shoulder. Kaiyo's Piplup was sitting proud, its head held high as it listened to the conversation. Turtwig, on the other hand, was nestled in Kamin's blonde hair, having decided it was nap time as soon as it was released from its Pokeball. Finally, the two reached Twinleaf Town. The Sun was slowly rising, its warm beams hitting their home over Mount Coronet. Another few minutes walking, the two had reached their houses. Bidding goodnight, Kaiyo opened her front door as silently as possible. Slipping in, she gently placed Piplup on the floor, putting her finger to her lips to say 'Be quiet'. The two crept upstairs, holding their breath every time one of them stepped on a squeaky floorboard. Finally reaching the safety of her room, Kaiyo jumped on the bed, kicking off her trainers in the process. Piplup watched her trainer breathe a big sigh, before she turned her head to face the Pokemon.

"So, Piplup… I guess we're a team now." Kaiyo whispered, smiling. The penguin jumped up onto the bed, finding a comfortable place to sleep. "I'll have to introduce you to Mum… She'll probably kill me if I told her what happened…" Kaiyo looked over to Piplup, who was now curled up on a pillow, gentle snoring emitting from the Pokemon. The black haired teen watched it sleep, before she felt her own eyelids feel heavy.

"Yeah… Tomorrow… Our Pokemon journey starts then…" Silver eyes closed as Kaiyo fell asleep, still dressed. Outside, the Hoothoot's hooted one last time; and the Kricketot's chimed their final note as the night Pokemon slept, dawn slowly warming the Sinnoh Region.

***

"Mum?"

"Yes, Kaiyo?"

"If I show you something, will you promise to not freak out?" Kaiyo's voice floated down the stairs as she called to her mum. It was 9:30 in the morning, and after the teen had gotten dressed and devised a plan to introduce Piplup to her mother, she began shouting down the stairs.

"It depends on what you want to show me. Now, come downstairs! I don't think our neighbours would appreciate us yelling at the top of our voices!" She called, as she continued cooking. Kaiyo took a deep breath, before slowly climbing down, Piplup walking behind her. The black haired girl peered around the corner, grinning at her mum. When the penguin jumped from its hiding place, Kaiyo's mother simply froze.

"… Kaiyo?"

"Yes, mum?"

"What is that Pokemon doing in our house?"

"Well… The thing is…"

It had taken a long time before Kaiyo's mother had calmed down. The teen had to get Kamin to help explain, and even then the older woman was finding everything hard to believe. Sitting in the kitchen with a strong mug of coffee, she watched her daughter feed the Piplup poffins, her fingers tapping on the counter.

"… Kaiyo?" At the mention of her name, the teen looked up. "You say Prof. Rowan gave you that Pokemon?" Kaiyo nodded, gently tickling Piplup on the top of its head. Her mother sighed and stood up, folded her arms and looked at her daughter. "Because you have a Pokemon, does this mean you want to become a Pokemon Trainer?"

Kaiyo stared at her mum. How did she know what she wanted? Looking down at the penguin, the teen felt a smile creep on her face.

"Yeah, I do. I want to go out and train Pokemon and… I want to become the best." Kaiyo looked at her mother, grinning. "I want to become the best I can be!" Kaiyo stood up too, her fists clenched, determination pouring off her. Her mother looked at her daughter before sighing again. Walking up to Kaiyo, she placed her hands upon her shoulders and stared into her silver eyes.

"You _will_ phone home every night, stay safe and do not get into any fights." She instructed. Kaiyo stood still, before jumping in the air, shouting happily. Piplup jumped up as well, calling out its cry of joy.

"Yes! I'm going to be a Pokemon Trainer!" She yelled, Piplup jumping into her arms. Together, they spun around the room, laughing loudly. Kaiyo's mother chuckled at her daughter.

"First, you need to pack. I want you to go to Sandgem Town first and thank Prof. Rowan for your Pokemon before you set off." She ordered Kaiyo, who had already bounded up the stairs to her room. A few minutes later, she had returned, a black backpack slung over her shoulder, Piplup's Pokeball clipped to her belt and the Pokemon itself sitting comfortably in her arms. After a bit of rummaging through cupboards, Kaiyo's mother found the PokeGear. Handing it to the teen, she was suddenly embraced in a bone crunching hug, Piplup stuck in the middle.

"Don't do anything reckless or stupid, you hear me? Take care of yourself." She whispered, close to tears. Somehow, Kaiyo pried herself from her mother's grasp, grinning.

"Don't worry, mum. I'm gonna be ok. I'll phone every night, I promise. Just don't send out any search parties because I miss one night." She joked, sniffling slightly herself. Together, she and Piplup exited her house, her mother waving at the walking away figure.

"You can come home whenever you want! Remember that! Goodbye, Kaiyo!" She shouted, causing several neighbours to look up from whatever they were doing to see what was going on. Kaiyo waved back and began running towards the small hill that overlooked Twinleaf Town. Finally, she stopped and looked at the small town she called home. Looking down at Piplup, she offered her hand, the penguin jumping up onto her shoulder.

"Here we are, Piplup. On our new journey. It's a fresh start now. Speaking of which, you need a nickname!" She turned her head slightly to look at the penguin, who was deep in thought. "Hmm… Well, you sure caused a lot of trouble this morning with mum… But I can't really call you Trouble… I've got it!"

"_Piplup?_"

"What about Chaos?" Kaiyo asked, waiting for her Pokémon's reaction. Piplup squeaked in agreement, jumping slightly on her shoulder. The teen chuckled and grinned. "Ok, from this day on, you're called Chaos!"

"Let's go, Chaos! Our first step to becoming the best starts here and now! Let's go!"

With that shout, Kaiyo began running towards Sandgem Town, not knowing of the ups and downs she would experience, not knowing how many friends and enemies she would make, not knowing what was beyond the next corner.

But, that was what made her put one foot in front of the other as she ran towards her Future.


End file.
